Mixing head



Jan 24 1967 MARRAFFINO 3,300,144

v MIXING HEAD Filed Feb. 4, 1965 INVENTOR.

FIG. 7 FIG. 8 BY JW ATTORNEYS.

LEONARD LIMARRA'FFINO Y 7 United States Patent O 3,300,144 MIXING HEAD Leonard L. Marraflino, 1824 NW. 36th Court, Oakland Park, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 33311 Filed Feb. 4, 1965, Ser. No. 430,294 6 Claims. (Cl. 239-307) My invention relates to Ia spray head containing additive fluids for selective combined dispensing with the propellant fluid from a propellant container of the aerosol bomb type.

More particularly, my invention relates to a spray head which includes Ia housing and a piston mounted therein for actuation of the raerosol bomb, the piston having a plurality of compartments containing additive fluids. The piston includes a base and a cap, the base being connected to the housing to restrict its movement to a vertical move'ment between an up closed position and a down discharge position. The cap of the piston is connected to the base for vertical movement therewith and also for rotational movement with respect thereto to place a selected compartment in dispensing position.

My invention is directed to the dispensing of such materials as room deodorizers and the like. 'Dhe room deodorizer in the can may be sprayed without an additive uid by placing the cap in neutral position. Upon rotation of the cap, a scented fluid such as a pine oil may be moved into a discharge position and upon actuation of the aerosol bomb through downward movement of the piston a small amount of the concentrated pine fluid will be combined with the fluid from the can. It will be recognized that there lare many other products which may be similarly combined and dispensed. v

The combination of parts of my invention is such that the spray head is provided with a built-in bi-as between the elements thereof which maintains the required fi-uid tight integrity within the piston without sacricing ease of operability. 'Ilhe base of the piston is disklike and is the element in which the major ports and ducts are formed. The cap is connected to the base with a wedgelike connection which produces the bias between the cap and base yand thereby provides the fluid tight integrity of the combination, this connection providing also the rotatable interlock between the units.

'Dhese and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reference to lthe following specification, appended claims and drawings wherein:

FIG. l is -a side View in section of a preferred modification of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a View similar to FIG. l with the spray head ,in dispensing position;

FIG. 3 is a top view;

FIG. l4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 4 4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a side cross sectional View of the dispensing portion of my -spray head in dispensing position with the cap rotated to neutral position;

3,300,144 Patented Jan. 24, 1967 lCC FIG. 8 is a View similar to FIG. 7 when in down discharge position.

My spray head includes a housing 15 and a piston 16 mounted therein for Amovement between an up closed position (FIG. l) and a down discharge position (FIG. 2). The housing 15 has a spray aperture 14 and at its lower edge has means 18 for rigidly .attaching the housing to the rim of Ia container 19, this 4being in the form of a wedge which springs over and grips the rim.

The piston 16 includes a base 17 which has a propellant port 20 and an additive port 21 juxtaposed thereto in vertical alignment, the additive port 21 being preferably just above the propellant port to accompli-sh entrainment of additive fluid. FBhe piston 16 also includes the cap 22 which is mounted on the base -17 in a manner which enables movement thereon to align the desired compartment 11 or 12 of the piston in position for discharge. Preferably, this movement is rotational yand is provided through an annular or circular interlock of peripheral portions of the cap 22 'and b-ase 17. The base 17 is disklike and has a flat circular top surface 23 surrounded by an upstanding circular or annular bearing rim 24, the side inwardly facing surface 25 of this rim tapering outwardly and downwardly to provide -a wedge face. F[the bottom surface 26 of the cap is urged into engagement with the base top surface 23 by the complementary wedging configurations lbetween the annular rim 24 and the side lower annular edge 27 of the cap which is provided with a side outwardly facing surface 28 which tapers downwardly and outwardly.

The base 17 is operatively anchored with respect to the sidewall 29 of the housing 'by means of lug 30 which is snapped into ya vertically extending notch 31 in the wall 29, the vertical length of the notch 31 being somewhat over 3%.;2 of an inch to enable the required vertical movement of the base to open the nipple 32 of the container 19 and the width o-f the notch 31 providinga snug fit with the lug 30 to prevent rotational or twisting movement `of the base 17. On downward movement of piston 22 to discharge position (FIG. 2), the propellant port 20 and additive port 21 are in fluid communication with the spray aperture 14. The base 17 has a socket 33 for snugly receiving the nipple for actuation thereof, the normal upward spring biasing of the nipple being sufficient under most circumstances for returning the piston 16 to its up closed position. In certain circumstances biasing means 10 may be added between the piston 22 and container 19 or housing 15 to urge the piston 22 upwardly.

A propellant duct 34 extends from the socket 33 to the propellant port 20 and an additive duct 35 extends from the additive port 21 to the cap 22. The cap 22 has wall means 36 which form the plurality lof compartments 11 and 12 for holding additive fluids, the opening 39 upon movement of the cap 22 relative to the base 17, being movable from a sealed position with the base into a discharge position wherein the opening 3-9 is placed in uid communication with the additive duct 35. Because of the minute amount of additive fluids dispensed and the need for accurate control, vent means 41 are provided for compensating for the additive iluid dispensed.

Preferably, the cap 22 is in vertical cylindrical form and has a removable top 50 and lower -cup 51, the top 50 being non-rotatably connected t-o the cup 51. The cup 51 has wall means 36 made up of the sidewall 49, -the bottom wall 52 and the diametrically center wall 53.

It will be noted that the side annular edge Z7 at the bottom ofthe cap 22 has an opening 39 for compartment Y 11 and an opening 44 for compartment 12 (FIG. 4), each opening being rotated into selective oriented alignment with the additive duct 35 upon ymovement of the selector top Similarly, the vent means 41 involves a single vent inlet 54 in the upper portion of the housing 15 and vent conduits 43 in the upper portion of the cap 22 directly above their respective openings 39 and 44 for the compartments 11 and 12 respectively, the vent conduit complementary to the selected additive huid opening being vertically aligned with vent inlet 54 when rotated to discharge position (FIG. l).

The cap 22 has top wings 55 and 56 on either side, the vertical surfaces 57 and 53 of which coact with the vertical edges 59 and 60 respectively of the inwardly extending semicircular ange 61 at the top rear of the housing 15. Upon rotation of the cap to one side, the selected opening 39 will be aligned with the additive duct 35 and the .related vent conduit 43 will be vertically aligned with the vent inlet 54 in the housing 15. No dispensing will take place at this time because the vent c-onduit 43 and additive duct 35 are sealed against the housing.

When the cap is pressed downwardly about 1%,2 of an inch to the position shown in FIG. 2, the previously verticallly aligned opening 39 and the additive duct 35 are moved into uid communication with the vertical bleed duct 64 formed in the inside wall of the housing 15 above the spray aperture 14 to allow gravity iiow of additive fluid from compartment 11 into contact with the stream of primary fluid discharging from propellant port 20. Air enters compartment 11 through vent means 41 and vent conduit 43.

To prevent fluid accumulation between lnhe housing 15 and piston 15, an arcuate spout 65 extends outwardly from beneath and partially around the propellant port 2li.

The liquid tight integrity of the fluid system is established and maintained by the easily and inexpensively produced port and duct system of the base 17, the biased interlock of the base with the cap serving to seal the openings 39 and 44 against the rim 24. Similarly, a biased interlock seals the vent means d1. As seen in FIG. 6, for example, the Ipreferred arrangement for each sealed location involves a protuherance 70 formed on the `cap 22 which wipes and seals against the base surface '25. A similar protuberance 71 -on the outer wall of the base 17 wipes and seals against the housing 15. To provide a balanced arrangement, added dome-like protuberances are provided at each quadrant as indicated by the letter X in FIG. 4. FIG. 6 shows one of these protuberances on a greatly enlarged scale; the actual dimensions away from the face of the base and cap is only .O05 to .O08 inch.

While the invention has been described with reference to certain embodiment, they are to be considered illustrative rather than limiting, and it is intended to cover all further embodiments that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A spray head for containing a plurality of additive liuids and adapted for use with a propellant container of the aerosol bomb type having a discharge nipple for the propellant iluid adapted to be opened upon relative Idisplacement between said container and nipple, said nipple being biased to a closed position,

said spray head comprising a housing and a piston mounted for movement therein between an up closed position and a down discharge position, said housing having a sidewall with a spray aperture therein, said piston including a base having a propellant port for discharging said propellant fluid and an additive port juxtaposed said main port for discharging said ci. additive uid, and a capmovably attached to sai base,

said base being operatively anchored with respect to the housing sidewall to restrict movement of said base relative to said sidewall to vertical movement only and vertically to align said propellant port and said additive port with said spray aperture,

said base having a socket for snugly receiving said nipple, a propellant duct extending from said socket to said propellant port and an additive duct extending from said additive port to said cap,

said cap having wall means forming a plurality of compartments for holding additive fluids, each compartment having an -opening which upon movement of said cap relative to said base is movable from a sealed position with said base to a discharge position with its opening in fluid communication with said additive duct,

and vent means providing a venting flow path to the selected compartment when in said discharge position. 2. A spray head for containing a plurality of additive iluids and adapted for use with a propellant container of the aerosol bomb type having a discharge nipple for the propellant fluid adapted to be opened upon relative displacement between said container and nipple, said nipple being biased to a closed position,

said spray head comprising a housing and a lpiston mounted for movement therein between an up closed position and a down discharge position, said housing having a sidewall with a spray aperture therein and having means for rigidly attaching the housing to a propellant container,

said piston including a base having a propellant port for discharging said propellant uid and an additive port juxtaposed said main port for discharging said additive uid, and a cap rotatably attached to said base,

said base being operatively anchored with respect to the :housing sidewall to restrict movement of said base relative to said sidewall to vertical movement only and vertically to align said propellant port and said additive port with said spray aperture,

said base having a socket for snugly receiving said nipple, a propellant duct extending from said socket to said propellant port and an additive duct extending from said additive port to said cap,

said cap having wall means forming a plurality of compartments for holding additive fluids, each compartment having an opening which upon rotation of said cap relative to said base is rotatable from a sealed position with said base to a discharge position with its opening in fluid communication With said additive duct,

and vent means providing a venting flow path to the selected compartment when in said discharge position.

3. A spray head as dened in claim 2 and wherein said base is disklike 4having a at circular top surface surrounded by an upstanding annular rim, said cap having a bottom surface and lower annular edge, said rim and said edge having complementary wedging configurations producing a sound biased connection between said rim and edge and between said top surface and bottom surface to provide the rotatable connection between the base and cap and to produce a fluid sealing relationship therebetween.

4. A spray :head as defined in claim. 3 and wherein said additive port and additive duct are formed in said rim, said opening in each of the cap compartments being formed in the said lower annular edge of the cap to enable fluid communication with said additive duct when its respective chamber is selectively rotated from sealed position to discharge position.

5. A spray head as defined in claim 4 and wherein 5 6 said vent means includes a vent inlet in the upper portion References Cited by the Examiner of said housing and a vent conduit for each chamber in UNITED STATES PATENTS the upper portion of the sidewall of the oap to enable uid communication with said vent inlet when its re- 1'953'330 4/1934 Andres. 239-307 spective chamber is in discharge position. 5 3110'473 11/1963 Hegedc et al 239-305 6. A spray head as dened in claim 5 and wherein 3'180'578 4/1965 Hagardom 239-307 the cap wall means includes an outer cylindrical sidewall 3'7'36'418 2/1966 Da ne et al' 222""394 and a diametrical center wall dividing the cap into two 3'7'40'396 3/1966 'Fnedcnberg 222-394 compartments, said cap and said housing being formed to provide stop means for selective rotative alignment 10 M HENSON WOOD IR" Primary Examiner' of each compartment in discharge position. R. S. STROBEL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SPRAY HEAD FOR CONTAINING A PLURALITY OF ADDITIVE FLUIDS AND ADAPTED FOR USE WITH A PROPELLANT CONTAINER OF THE AEROSOL BOMB TYPE HAVING A DISCHARGE NIPPLE FOR THE PROPELLANT FLUID ADAPTED TO BE OPENED UPON RELATIVE DISPLACEMENT BETWEEN SAID CONTAINER AND NIPPLE, SAID NIPPLE BEING BIASED TO A CLOSED POSITION, SAID SPRAY HEAD COMPRISING A HOUSING AND A PISTON MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT THEREIN BETWEEN AN UP CLOSED POSITION AND A DOWN DISCHARGE POSITION, SAID HOUSING HAVING A SIDEWALL WITH A SPRAY APERTURE THEREIN, SAID PISTON INCLUDING A BASE HAVING A PROPELLANT PORT FOR DISCHARGING SAID PROPELLANT FLUID AND AN ADDITIVE PORT JUXTAPOSED SAID MAIN PORT FOR DISCHARGING SAID ADDITIVE FLUID, AND A CAP MOVABLY ATTACHED TO SAID BASE, SAID BASE BEING OPERATIVELY ANCHORED WITH RESPECT TO THE HOUSING SIDEWALL TO RESTRICT MOVEMENT OF SAID BASE RELATIVE TO SAID SIDEWALL TO VERTICAL MOVEMENT ONLY AND VERTICALLY TO ALIGN SAID PROPELLANT PORT AND SAID ADDITIVE PORT WITH SAID SPRAY APERTURE, SAID BASE HAVING A SOCKET FOR SNUGLY RECEIVING SAID NIPPLE, A PROPELLANT DUCT EXTENDING FROM SAID SOCKET TO SAID PROPELLANT PORT AND AN ADDITIVE DUCT EXTENDING FROM SAID ADDITIVE PORT TO SAID CAP, SAID CAP HAVING WALL MEANS FORMING A PLURALITY OF COMPARTMENTS FOR HOLDING ADDITIVE FLUIDS, EACH COMPARTMENT HAVING AN OPENING WHICH UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID CAP RELATIVE TO SAID BASE IS MOVABLE FROM A SEALED POSITION WITH SAID BASE TO A DISCHARGE POSITION WITH ITS OPENING IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH SAID ADDITIVE DUCT, AND VENT MEANS PROVIDING A VENTING FLOW PATH TO THE SELECTED COMPARTMENT WHEN IN SAID DISCHARGE POSITION. 